NXT results, live blog (April 24, 2019): Gargano vs. Strong

Here's a place to check results and comment along with the latest airing of WWE NXT in its regular Wednesday night at 8PM Eastern time slot on WWE Network.

Check out our Wednesday morning preview post to get caught up on what's been happening, and what we expect this week.

We'll post match results here, and we will also have our regular reactions post later. In the meantime, and most importantly, this gives you Cagesiders a dedicated place to rave and/or bitch about whatever happens on WWE’s third brand - during its initial broadcast!

NOTE: Spoilers are out there for these pre-taped broadcasts (including here), but many Cagesiders don’t partake. If you are going to post or discuss spoilers for this show before they happen, or results of future shows, please use the spoiler bar in your comment.

Enjoy the show!

- After a quick reminder that Johnny Gargano is our champion, and that he beat Adam Cole of Undisputed ERA at TakeOver: New York for the belt, it’s time for the open. Mauro Ranallo, Nigel McGuinness & Percy Watson welcome us to Full Sail as the Forgotten Sons are entering for our first bout.

- Humberto Carrillo def. Jaxson Ryker via disqualification

Ryker uses his size and power advantage at the bell, slamming Carrillo to the mat and forcing him into the corner. The Mexican cruiserweight lands on his feet when Jaxson tries to flip him, and his speed advantage allows him to execute a sequence ending with a standing moonsault. That only pisses the former TNA star off, though, and he powers back into it. A throw leaves Carrillo hanging upside down in the corner. Clubbing blows, then the Widowmaker, but Humberto rolls out. Ryker follows, dropping him on the barricade and kneeing his head into it until the referee calls for the bell.

The former Marine doesn’t stop, though, and Oney Lorcan & Danny Burch come to the rescue! That brings Steve Cutler & Wesley Blake into the fray. The Brit-Am Brawlers grab chairs, and the Sons start to back away, but Ryker wants to do this now! Cutler & Blake manage to get him up the ramp.

- An interview rolls up while Adam Cole is getting some photos taken. He thought Gargano would be man enough to come after the ERA’s leader, but since he didn’t, Roderick Strong will do the same thing to Johnny he would have. Cole wants to know what someone off camera is laughing at, and it’s Matt Riddle, Bro! He’s next for a photo shoot, but says he’s never seen anything so funny as AC being jealous of Roddy, but if the Panama City Playboy wants to do something about... Cole says he doesn’t have time for this and walks off. The King of Bros gets his picture game started.

- Candice LeRae & Kacy Catanzaro def. Aliyah & Vanessa Borne via pinfall (LeRae on Bourne following a quebrada)

Borne & Boujie out first, then Candice gets her own entrance. Finally, we learn her partner is the American Ninja Warrior herself! Catanzaro starts with Aliyah. Takedown and trash talk from the NXT veteran, but it’s not long before Kacy’s showing off with a head scissor takedown and a nifty front flip axe kick. Aliyah is playing possum though, and flattens Catanzaro, tags in Borne for a tandem suplex, and Vanessa starts working the heat. That includes some heelish double-teaming in the ropes which happens pretty much right in front of the ref. Aliyah back in to stretch the smaller woman, but Borne & Boujie try their suplex again, she turns it into a double neckbreaker and makes the tag. LeRae in hot, cleans house and hits a step-up senton as part of the flurry which gives us the finish.

- Recap of last week’s main event before Mauro kicks it to Cathy Kelley backstage for comment from Io Shirai. She starts to talk about how Shayna Baszler attacking Kairi San’s elbow and making her watch was horrible when Jessamyn Duke & Marina Shafir jump the Genius of the Sky. A knee from Shayna leaves her laying backstage.

- Hype video on Kushida. He can’t wait to show the WWE Universe what he can do, starting with his debut match next week. We then go to General Manager William Regal’s office. He puts over the signing as one of the biggest in NXT history. Regal’s old friend/nemesis Kassius Ohno rolls up and puts over himself for killing it in NXT UK, teaching those youngsters about European style wrestling. Regal says he knows a little about that, but KO rolls past that comment to congratulate the GM on the Kushida signing, and offer his services as the Japanese Superstar’s first opponent. Regal thinks that would be an excellent idea.

- The Viking Experience Raiders def. Street Profits via pinfall following Thor’s Hammer on Ford

We’re actually still calling the champs War Raiders in this non-title match. Montez Ford flies to take Hanson & Rowe out on the ramp. The attempt to follow that up with a quick win off a spinebuster/frog splash combob, but it ends in a nearfall. Then Angelo Dawkins comes in for a tandem spot, but that only gets two, too. A big Hanson clothesline on Ford changes the story, and the champs are in control. Tandem moves of their own from the Raiders on Dawkins. Angelo eventually punches his way out of trouble and both men get tags. Tez works hard to take Hanson down, but can’t do it with shoulder blocks. He does it with a drop kick, though, and follows with a belly-to-back suplex. Ford dumps Rowe and tags his partner. A series of spinning elbows sets Dawkins up for a cover on Hanson, but he gets free, ending a comeback with a springboard double back elbow. He gets the tag to Rowe, who throws him butt-first into a screaming Ford in the corner. Tandem move sends Dawkins rolling to the outside, and leaves Montez alone for the finish. The champs celebrate while the Profits wonder what it would take to beat them from the ramp.

- A faceless reporter named Dennis asks Mia Yim about Shayna Baszler’s reign of terror. She runs down Bianca Belair for failing to beat the champ despite her “undefeated mindset”. Yim says she learned a lot in her first match with Baszler, and deserves another chance to show why the HBIC will be the one to put down the Queen of Spades.

- Johnny Gargano def. Roderick Strong via pinfall after a slingshot DDT

Roddy’s out alone, sans Undisputed teammates. The NXT champ gets the better of the early chain wrestling, and almost cinches in the Garga-No Escape early. Strong goes outside to regroup, and eats a superkick at first, but catches Johnny when he tries to slide out after him. Gargano is thrown back-first into the apron, and that allows Strong to take control. Johnny with a defiant chop, but a gutbuster allows Roddy to cover. That only gets one, but the heel is firmly in control at this point. The Messiah of the Backbreaker gets some nearfalls with (what else) backbreakers, and some creative, painful looking rest holds in the ropes. When the action spills to the floor again, Gargano escapes a wheelbarrow hold to send Strong shoulder first into the steel steps. Slinghot spear gets two for the champ. They each stay one step ahead of one another in and out of the ring until Johnny finally connects with a cannonball off the apron. Roddy tries to slam him while he’s re-entering the ropes, but Gargano ranas out and hits a superkick for two. Spit-spraying chops in the corner from Johnny, who plays to the crowd, which may let Strong recover. They evade each others signature moves again, ending this time with Roddy grabbing another slingshot spear attempt and turning it into a backbreaker for a great nearfall. They trade shots until Gargano flattens Strong with a discus clothesline. He tries for his half of Meeting in the Middle, but Roddy recovers, throwing him into the corner and getting another nearfall.

Another melee leads to a Garga-No Escape. Strong has nowhere to go, but here comes Adam Cole! Johnny releases the hold to jaw at him as Kyle O’Reilly & Bobby Fish follow him down. But here comes Matt Riddle! He takes out Fish & KOR, and in the confusion, Cole kicks Roddy as he was prone in the ropes. The champ follows up that to pick up the win.

- Gargano leaves. Riddle enjoys the issues between UE for a bit before following. In the ring, Cole apologizes, but Strong doesn’t want to hear it. Their teammates separate them, and they eventually leave with Strong walking out first and complaining the whole time.